Portable track-rail-cutting machine.



4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

//v VEA/TDR,

[Illlllllllllllll rlrrlll r.| llllulll PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

T. E. ONEIL.

PORTABLE TRACK RAIL CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1904.

no MODEL.

No. 766,725. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. T. E. ONEIL.

PORTABLE TRACK RAIL CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 11. 1904.

no MODEL. 4 sums-sum 2.

F/E,E..

No. 766,725. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

T. B. ONEIL.

PORTABLE TRACK RAIL CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED r1113. 11, 1904.

1'0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 766,725. PATENTBD AUG. 2, 1904. T. E. O'NEIL. PORTABLE TRACK RAIL CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1904.

no MODEL 4 snsnwssnnn'r 4.

M TA/E5555, VENT/17R Patented. August 2, 1904.

NITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

THOMAS E. ONEIL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

PORTABLE TRACK-RAlL-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,725, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed February 11, 1904. Serial No. 193,186. (No model.)

To rtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. ONEIL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Track-Rail- Outting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to aportable machine essentially adapted for cutting track-rails and arranged to be coupled with and driven by a power pro mlling-motor.

The invention consists of the novel construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the machine, showing the cutter in its highest position, as in operation to cut a rail. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine and also showing a motor in position for driving the rotative parts of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. partly in section and partly in elevation, taken in a plane on line a m of Fig. 2, showing the gearing arrangement for transmitting motion to the cutter-shaft. Fig. 4 is a front view of the machine, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 1 3 of Fig. 2, showing the relative position of the gearing arrangement and feed -screw, together with means mounted on the machine-frame for clamping the rail in position during the operation of cutting; and Fig. 5 represents a side view of the machine, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. a, showing the cutter and parts for driving the same at their lower position on the machine-frame, as when a rail has been cut.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents the machine-frame as a whole, comprising a base Z), having two upwardlyextending flanges 5 Z) opposite of each other and arranged to fit between the flanges of U- shaped uprights or channel-bars c c. Said uprights or channel-bars c c are secured to the flanges of the base by rivets (Z (Z.

On the top of the uprights or channel-bars c c is secured a plate c by bolts ff, which pass through knee-pieces or angle-irons g. Said kneepieces or angle-irons 9 enter the channels of the uprights c c and are secured in place by bolts it it in the manner shown in Figs. 2, at, and 5.

B represents a carriage arranged to move vertically on the frame A, and said carriage has the gearing arrangement for driving the cutter. The frame of this carriage B comprises two blocks Z i, which are of the width of the uprights or channcl-bars c c and having their outer faces made flat to adjoin the inner faces of the same, as at Z t" in Fig. 4. Said blocks have curved or dished-out portions to form a clearance for the peripheries of the driving-gears, as at i Z in said figure.

y'y' are plates which are of equal size and secured upon the blocks 6 Z by bolts Z: k, and said plates j] are of a length to project upon the flanges of the uprights or channel-bars c c in order to maintain the carriage B in place upon the frame A in the manner shown in Figs. 2, 3, I, and 5.

Zis the main or driving shaft of the machine, extending longitudinally therewith and rotatably mounted in the left-hand portion of the carriage B. Said shaft Z projects from the rear of the carriage and terminates with an outwardly-extending integral flange arranged to connect or couple with the shaft of a power-driven motor. In the right-hand portion of the carriage B is situated a short rotatable shaft Z, which extends parallel with the main or driving shaft Z.

In the lower portion of the carriage B is also mounted a cutter-shaft Z which extends centrally of and longitudinally with the shafts Z and Z. Between the plates j j of the carriage B is housed a spur-gearing arrangement as follows:

Mounted on the driving-shaft Z is a large gear m, which meshes with a pinion-gear m, that is mounted on the short shaft Z. On the shaft Z is also mounted a large gear m which meshes with a pinion-gear m, that is mounted on the cutter-shaft Z The pair of large gears cured upon a threaded portion of the shaft Z by check-nuts n n, and said cutter-disk is arranged to rotate in a plane close to the base of the machine-frame A. The cutter-shaft Z is prevented from endwise movement on the carriage B by collars 0 0, which are fixedly se-- cured to said cutter-shaft and abutting hubs integral of the plates 1' as best seen in Fig. 5.

The means for raising or lowering the carriage B comprises a thrust-nut p, which is secured to the rear plate j of the carriage by bolts 10 p, and this thrust-nut is provided With a vertically-arranged screw-threaded opening to receive the threaded portion of a feed-screw q. Said feed-screw q has an integral collar at its upper portion to abut against a thrust-bracket i, which is secured to the top plate 6 of the machine-frame A by bolts 7* r, and a portion of the feed-screw that projects from said thrust-bracket is rigidly secured in the hub of a hand-wheel s.

T is a bracket, which is secured to the rear plate 7' of the carriage B by bolts t t, as seen in Fig. 8, and said bracket is designed to support a power-propelling motor at, which drives the rotative parts of my said machine.

The motor-shaft M has an outwardly-extending annular flange a to connect by bolts 16 with the corresponding flange Z, integral of the driving-shaft Z, and the opposite end of the motor shaft u is made to enter an opening formed in an upward extension integral of the bracket 25, as at u in Figs. 2 and 5.

Means is provided for clamping a rail to the machine-frame as follows: Referring to Figs. 2 and 5, the base 6 has three downwardly-extending integral lugs Z Z 5 which are curved to contact against the outer flange of the upper portion of a rail 1), as at a point 1/ in Fig. 4. The base Z) is provided with two dovetail channels, which are formed transversely through its bottom surface and situated near to the outer lugs Z Z as at points 6 Z in Figs. 2, 4, and 5.

w w are clamping-bars, which are slidably mounted in the channels 6 Z of the base Z of the machine-frame, and said clamping-bars have each an integral downwardly-extending lug w, curved to contact against the inner flange of the upper portion of the rail '0, as at a point 0 in Fig. 4, and each of the clampingbars w has its opposite end portion screwthreaded to receive clamping-nuts 00 m to impinge against the base Z in holding said clamping-bars w in position upon the rail.

There are four set-screws yy 1/ y, mounted in the frame-base Z, two of said screws being arranged to contact upon the top surface of the outer flange of the rail, as at a, and the other two of said screws arranged to contact upon the top surface of the inner flange of the rail, as at a, and thus the rail is maintained in a vertical position relative to the machine-frame in the manner shown in said figure.

My improved machine is adjusted to a rail as follows: First, the feed-screw q is turned by its hand-wheel to elevate the carriage B and raise the cutter O to its upper or normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, after which the 'slidable clamping-bars w w are adjusted on the frame-base 6, so that their lugs are carried out from the stationary lugs Z of the same to the dotted position indicated in Fig. 4; second, the machine is now placed upon the top portion of the rail, so that the lugs Z bear against one side of the rail and the lugs 20 bear against the opposite side thereof. The clamping-bars w are next drawn forward and their nuts 0 0c screwed up tight to firmly hold the rail in position between each set of lugs. After the machine is secured upon a rail, as described, power is applied to start the motor in operation. As the motor-shaft a is coupled direct to the driving-shaft Z, which carries the driving-gear m, and said driving-gear meshing with the pinion-gear m and of larger diameter than the latter gear causes the short shaft Z to revolve at a higher rate of speed than that of the driving-shaft Z, and as the driving-gear m of the shaft Z is of larger diameter and in mesh with the pinion-gear m of the cutter-shaft Z causes the latter shaft to revolve at a still higher rate of speed than that of the shaft Z, it is therefore evident that by said gearing arrangement a very high speed of rotation is imparted to the cutterclisk C.

In my machine I use a cutter-disk having a smooth peripheral edge, so that the metal which is to be cut is ground off by the friction of said disk and is not cut as by the teeth of an ordinary circular saw commonly used on this class of machine.

The. rotative parts revolve in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2 and 4. After the normal speed of rotation is maintained by the motor the screw q is turned by the operator to feed the carriage B downward, and as the carriage descends its fastrevolving cutter contacts with and finally shears the rail in halves.

I prefer a motor which is propelled by compressed air, although it will be understood that a motor driven by other power may be used to impart motion to the rotative parts of my said machine.

By this construction and arrangement of parts I form a simple, compact, and durable a driving-motor, a driving-shaft, gearing connecting the driving-shaft and cutter-disk and means for connecting the driving-shaft and 5 the main shaft of the motor, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. ONEIL.

Witnesses:

ALFRED WV. FAXON, MILTON H. BROUSDON. 

